interactions
by Cahaya Sidur
Summary: Juleka has always prided herself on knowing her brother well, and vice versa. So it was with this knowledge that Juleka watched Luka watching Adrien.


Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug.

* * *

 **AN: This is my first Miraculous Ladybug story, so if the characters are OOC, then I apologise for that. I know I'm a little late, but I have jumped onto the Lukadrien ship-wagon...this has actually been written a few months ago, but I haven't posted it until now.**

 **This was loosely inspired from 'Crushing', by Hotaro S.**

* * *

Juleka has always prided herself on knowing her brother well, and vice versa. He always understood her under the breath mumbles, chuckling under his breath whenever he caught a particularly witty one, and for the time she thought she had the photo curse, he had refused to take any photos of himself until she was broken of it. Likewise, she understood his need to be alone and play for hours, just trying to find the right tune and lyrics.

So it was with this knowledge that Juleka watched Luka watching Adrien. She knew her brother wasn't very impressed at first, but then Adrien's eyes lit up when he not only saw and named, but also played, the instrument, and Juleka saw her brother's own eyes light up in delighted surprise.

It wasn't until after their performance and the defeat of the Akuma that Luka and Adrien next had an opportunity to talk. Juleka quickly stationed herself nearby, watching with hawk like eyes. Years of speaking under her breath had taught her how to make up for it through listening to others.

"So, great job today." Luka was praising Adrien.

Adrien beamed at him, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks! You too." He smiled. "I can't believe I got to play one of those keyboards."

"Amazing, isn't it?" Luka smiles. "When you find that instrument, and you just have to play it."

Adrien nods eagerly.

"Hey, why don't you come over sometime?" Luka invites. "None of us really know how to play it anyway, and it'd be a shame to just let it gather dust in the corner."

"Really?" Adrien asks despite his eyes shining. "I don't want to intrude."

"Mom wouldn't mind, and I'd love to have you over. You clearly know what you're doing."

Adrien flushes in pleasure and nods shyly. "I'll need to check with Natalie through."

"Oh, sure." Luka nods. "You want to switch numbers?"

Adrien nods and hands over his phone, watching as Luka types in his number. He saves the contact with a bright smile, then accepts Luka's phone to type in his own number. "Great!"

"So..." Luka drawls out, and Juleka resists the urge to roll her eyes and smile at her brother's not too subtle attempt to keep Adrien here. "Are you interested in any other artists?"

"I love Jagged Stone." Adrien gives a self-conscious chuckle. "I mean, who doesn't?"

"Anyone else?" Luka asks after nodding in agreement.

"Have you heard of Penelope Tsarkov?" Adrien asks eagerly. "I love her music, especially her piano."

"Oh yeah?" Luka beams, and Juleka raises an eyebrow at just how coincidental this seems. "Hey, listen. I'm having something like a recital next week, and Penelope Tsarkov happens to be one of the artists I incorporated into my music. Do you want to come?"

Adrien blinks in pleased surprise. "Yeah, I'd love to."

There's a lot of 'loves' in this conversation, Juleka notes. She wonders if it's intentional, then dismisses the thought. Adrien is far too oblivious for his own good - the sweet sunshine child, as Alya has taken to calling him.

"Awesome. I'll text you the details. It's next Tuesday."

Adrien nods. "I'll have to check with Natalie, but I don't have anything on that day except fencing right after school, so I'll be able to attend."

"I look forward to seeing you there." Luka smiles and waves as Adrien says goodbye and walks away.

Juleka chooses that moment to show herself as Luka starts pulling wires out and packing them away. "What was that?"

Luka looks up with a look that is entirely too innocent. "What was what?"

"That. You and Adrien."

Luka shrugs. "Adrien seems nice, and he has an awesome sense of music. So I thought, why not invite him and expose him to a wider range of music?"

Juleka frowns. "I thought you were into Marinette."

"Huh?" Luka blinks. "Marinette is amazing, but we're just friends."

Juleka facepalms.

Poor Marinette.

That brought the count up to two now.

* * *

Juleka is again brought into the burgeoning relationship between Adrien and Luka when she happens to overhear their conversation after Luka's recital. It's not her fault, not really, that she's been brought into this. It just so happened that Luka's gaze had slid right over his sister and mother and been attracted to the model instead.

"Hi Adrien." Luka greets, cheeks flushed from the adrenaline of performing. "What'd you think?"

"It was incredible." Adrien grins. "I love the way you inserted Penelope's music into your work, especially at the bridge."

"I know right?" Luka replies, grinning equally brightly. Then he winces. "That sounds a little less self-centred in my head, I'll admit."

Adrien laughs. "You're talking to the model who has his face literally plastered across almost every billboard in Paris. I wouldn't know."

Luka laughs too, bright and affectionate, and Juleka's heart melts for her brother and his hapless crush. Luka's gaze meets his mother and sister's, and his grin remains the same blinding one he had when he first caught sight of Adrien. "What'd you think of the concert?"

"It was amazing, as always." His mother gushes, kissing him on the cheek. Luka laughs and takes it good naturedly, but Juleka shoots a concerned look at Adrien, who is looking at the scene a little wistfully.

Juleka gives her brother a small thumbs up.

"So," Luka turns to Adrien, "Are you doing anything later?"

Adrien looks down at his phone and sighs. "I've got to get home and finish my physics homework. And my Chinese essay." He looks up apologetically. "I'm really sorry."

"Hey, no worries." Luka smiles. "We can always hang out another time."

Adrien nods and then waves at the small family of three, before he turns and weaves through the crowd to the exit.

Juleka giggles at the look on Luka's face as he sighs, slightly despondent. "Chin up, bro. You still have a chance. That wasn't a no."

* * *

Juleka catches sight of Luka loitering around the school grounds and makes a beeline for him. "This could constitute stalking."

"It's not stalking." Luka doesn't even bother to deny who he's looking for.

"Hey Luka!" Marinette calls, happily enthusiastic. Juleka manages to hide a wince as Luka smiles at the girl.

"Hey, Marinette. Alya." He nods as the other girl also comes into the conversation. "How're you guys?"

"We're doing great." Alya hums. "What brings you here?" There is a mischievous sparkle in her eye as she glances at Marinette that causes Juleka to become slightly nervous.

"I'm looking for-"

"Hey, Luka!" Adrien and Nino join them, and it's almost impossible to see the way Luka's face almost comically lights up.

"Hey Adrien. Nino." It's almost tacked on as an afterthought.

Juleka doesn't manage to hide her wince this time, especially at how Alya's eyes narrow at this small interaction.

"What are you doing here?" Nino asks as he gives a casual wave. "Not that it's not good to see you, man."

Luka gives a grateful laugh. "Oh, I was looking for Adrien." He focuses his attention on the model. "Remember how we were talking about Penelope Tsarkov?"

"Yeah." Adrien nods.

"I've got tickets to her concert next month." Luka grins as he fishes out the tickets.

"No way!" Adrien enthuses. "I thought these were sold out?"

Luka shrugs modestly. "I know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a technician on the concert." He grins at Adrien. "You want to go?"

"Is that even a question?" Adrien asks, examining the ticket Luka hands over to him.

"Uh, who's Penelope Tsarkov?"

Adrien shoots Marinette a brilliant grin. "She's this world-famous composer and pianist. She rarely gives concerts, but whenever she does, they're usually sold out six months in advance."

"Oh wow." Marinette says.

"Any room for more?" Alya teases.

Luka winces sheepishly. "Sorry, I only managed to get two."

"Do you want to go instead?" Adrien asks, concerned as he turns to his friends. "You guys can go instead of me."

"It's fine." Nino reassures his friend. "You and Luka are probably the only ones who know who Tsarkov is. It'll be a waste of money on us."

"You sure?" Adrien asks uncertainly.

Juleka's heart goes out to the boy, because she's learnt quite early on that Adrien would give up literally anything to keep his friends happy, and that probably included the tickets.

"No, it's fine." Alya smiles wider. "Have fun, and take tons of videos, yeah?"

"Absolutely." Adrien promises, lighting up in relief when it's clear no one is angry with him.

"It's a plan then." Luka smiles at Adrien.

Adrien nods, examining the ticket in near awe.

* * *

"Do you want to grab dinner before we go?" Luka asks over the phone casually.

Adrien gives a sigh. "I don't think I can. My fencing tournament's right before the concert, and it's been stencilled in for months. I'll probably have enough time to shower, change, and then get to the concert."

"Do you want me to get anything to eat?"

"If you don't mind." Adrien says, sounding slightly bashful.

"Don't worry about it." Luka says. "I know this small bagel stand near the location. Do you have any preferences?"

"Nope, I'm good with anything."

Luka lets out an affirmative sound and makes a quick note. "You do fencing?" He asks for lack of anything to say.

"Mmhm." Adrien nods. "Yeah. At Master D'Argencourt's Fencing Academy _._ "

"Nice." Luka says. "I heard that it's really difficult to get in."

"I'm okay." Adrien shrugs modestly. "You should see my friend, Kagami, though. She's amazing."

"I hope I get to see you guys fence one day."

Adrien hesitantly gives an affirmative sound. He glances at the clock and nearly groans. He needs to get to bed soon for an early photoshoot tomorrow morning right before school. "I have to go now."

"I'll see you then." Luka promises, then hangs up and throws his phone over to his bed.

Jules pops up, grinning. "Very smooth."

"Go away." Luka rolls his eyes, giving her a playful shove. "Why're you always eavesdropping on me?"

"Adrien's my friend." Juleka says. "I just want to know you'll treat him well."

Luka snorts. "You don't have to worry about that. Promise."

Juleka shoots him a look, but nods and makes for the door. "Good night."

"Good night!" Luka calls after her.


End file.
